The Falcon & The Winter Soldier: 10 Questions About Sam Wilson’s Suit, Answered

The excitement is high for MCU series The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, which is scheduled to hit Disney+ on March 19, 2021. If the trailer is anything to go by, there will be plenty of action. For those Marvel fans who have felt a bit disappointed by the slow burn and sitcom setting of Wandavision can now look forward to the usual CGI action fest.

The series will see Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes teaming up to fight the Flag-Smashers. Since Sam Wilson has mostly been a supporting character in the MCU, little details about him might still be unknown to a good number of fans. Though not heavily focused on, his suit (popularly known as the EXO-7) is actually as incredible as that of Marvel’s top heroes.

10 How Does The Suit Help Sam Fly?

The EXO-7 give Sam the ability to fly, thanks to the presence of mechanical wings and three tiny jet engines located in the suit’s backpack. The engines are said to provide a thrust force of 1000 lbs.

The suit has hand grips to enable him to control the wings. By folding and flapping the wings, Sam is able to change direction, ascend, and descend as he pleases. In the unlikely event that the jet engines malfunction, there is an in-built parachute that unfolds to prevent the Avengers member from falling to the ground.

9 Who Else Has Won The Suit?

Only two EXO-7 flight suits were ever created by the US military. The two suits were given to Sam Wilson and his fellow 58th squadron rescue member Riley. The purpose of the suits was to make soldiers fly to areas where helicopters couldn’t go, due to constant targeting by RPGs.

Riley’s suit was destroyed when he was shot down by a missile. The remaining suit was kept at Fort Meade by the US military until Sam Wilson stole it back.

8 What Weapons Does The Suit Have?

The EXO-7 is equipped with twin Steyr SPP collapsible machine gun pistols that act as Sam’s main weapons. He has used the guns against Ant-Man, HYDRA agents, Outriders, and Crossbones’ mercenaries.

Whenever Sam reaches for his holster, the guns pop up and are extended into his arms. His left gauntlet also has an emission gun that he can control by simply clenching his fits. On the right gauntlet, there is a rocket launcher that he can also control by clenching his fists. On the upper side of the jetpack, there are miniature missiles that are controlled by the Redwing.

7 How Was The Suit Upgraded?

Before the events of Captain America: Civil War, the EXO-7 received a major upgrade at the New Avengers Facility. Even though the functionality remained the same, the weapons, communications systems, and armor platings were upgraded.  A red stripe was also added to the new suit as well. Other than that, it has remained fairly the same.

Sam then showed up later at the New Avengers Facility to be a part of Captain America’s team. No further upgrades to the suit have been made ever since.

6 Can The Combat Goggles Compare To Tony Stark’s?

Sam’s goggles might not be as cool or stylish as the ones Tony Stark gave Peter Parker but there are equally as useful. One of the features on the goggles is a Heads-Up Display (HUD) that enables Sam to see minute details.

There is also a tracking sensor system that detects incoming bodies and warns the user. The goggles helped Sam track Ant-Man during the civil war. Ant-Man only managed to evade by changing his size. The goggles also have the ability to communicate with the Redwing while analyzing data that is crucial for combat.

5 What Is The Redwing?

The Redwing is a drone that’s stored at the back of the EXO-7. It was created by Stark Industries, hence why it’s also known as the “Stark Drone MK82 922 V 80Z V2 Prototype Unit V6.” While in flight, it’s able to split into three parts for maximum effectiveness, as seen during the Battle Of Wakanda.

The drone can be operated remotely using a touch screen on Sam’s hand. It’s able to scout the ground and air without being detected, thus providing him with crucial information. While in Eastern Europe, Sam uses the Redwing to find the weakness of an Ultron lookalike. During the Lagos mission, the Redwing also informs Sam that mercenaries are hiding in a garbage truck.

4 How Strong Is The Suit?

Sam Wilson has been seen using the EXO-7 wings to knock opponents and throw them several feet away. This is proof of its power.  The wings were also sharp enough to pierce the Chitauri Gorillas – despite the fact that the body of a Chitauri Gorilla is fitted with armor plating and cybernetic implants.

The EXO-7’s wings are made from carbon fiber material that enables them to withstand gunfire from small arms. Other parts of Sam’s suit are not that strong. Luckily, the wings can be programmed using the touchpad to form a giant protective shield around him.

3 What Powers The Suit?

One might wonder how the suit keeps functioning at full capacity. Fans have seen Tony Stark’s suit run out of power on several occasions because it relies on battery cells that need to be charged.

Well, Sam Wilson’s suit is fitted with mini solar panels that provide much-needed electrical current. Since he stays airborne most of the time, he is unlikely to ever run out of power. That’s unless he uses the suit for too long at night. Luckily, he hasn’t been forced to do that just yet. Things might change in the future.

2 Is The Suit The Same In The Comics?

Not really! The suit’s appearance has changed several times in the comics. Black Panther is the man responsible for upgrading Sam Wilson’s wings in the comics.

Initially, the wings are made out of titanium ribbing. They can also detach and reattach themselves to his outfit. However, when this suit gets destroyed, Black Panther makes him a new one out of vibranium. The new costume also has a much larger wingspan of 50 feet, which makes them more effective for flight.

1 What Top Speed Can The Wings And Jet Engines Propel Him To?

The peregrine falcon is the fastest animal in the world. It has a top speed of 185 mph. The fact that Sam Wilson is named after it says a lot about his flight speed.

Sam’s speed is never stated in the MCU but it can be assumed that he is as fast as Iron Man and War Machine, since he manages to keep up with them during a chase. The suit that Tony Stark builds in Iron Man 3 can fly at five times the speed of sound. If Sam can keep up with such speeds, then he is quite fast. He also proves to be fast enough to dodge Vision’s death ray.

About The Author

Philip Etemesi
(1215 Articles Published)

Philip Etemesi is an author, journalist, screenwriter and film critic based in Nairobi. Kenya. As a child, he preferred watching movies like The Goodfellas instead of Home Alone. His girlfriend constantly has to pull him from the front of the TV but he just keeps returning. Stubborn dude! An animal lover, Philip also has a pet giraffe called Refu.

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